1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to solar cell fabrication, and more particularly but not exclusively to generation of contact masks for solar cells.
2. Description of the Background Art
An inkjet printer includes a print head with a plurality of nozzles, each nozzle configured to dispense dots of ink on a surface. A pattern formed by the dispensed dots can be printed by appropriate movement of the inkjet's print head across the surface. Inkjet printing is relatively low cost compared to traditional lithography techniques and is thus suitable for cost-sensitive applications, such as solar cell fabrication.
Inkjet printing has been used to form contact masks on solar cells. A contact mask defines regions of a solar cell substrate where contact holes are to be formed. The contact mask protects other areas of the solar cell during etching of the contact holes. Once etched, the contact holes are filled with an electrically conductive material, referred to as a “metal contact,” to allow an external electrical circuit to be electrically coupled to diffusion regions of the solar cell. Embodiments of the present invention pertain to improved techniques for generating contact masks suitable for inkjet printing on a solar cell.